The Last of Us, a critically acclaimed post-apocalyptic action-adventure game developed by Naughty Dog, has been a beloved hit among gamers, who are now looking forward to the upcoming HBO adaptation of the game. However, the original video game’s protagonist, Joel, initially had reservations about bringing the game to TV.
What Led to Joel’s Skepticism
Joel was initially skeptical of bringing The Last of Us to TV because he was afraid that a show (or film) adaptation would not be able to do the game justice. He feared that the story wouldn’t be able to capture the depth and emotion of the game, which is a huge part of what made it so beloved. Joel also worries about how the characters will be changed in order to fit into a serialized format.
Joel’s Worries:
- Fear of Disrespecting the Original Content: Joel was concerned that a show or film adaptation of The Last of Us would be too different from the game in terms of story, character development, and pacing. He feared that the show would be so different from the game that it would not be respectful to the original work.
- Fear of Ruining the Characters: Joel was also worried that adapting the game’s characters to the TV format would ruin the characters’ original arcs. He worried that some of the characters could become two-dimensional or caricatures as a result.
- Fear of Straying Too Far From The Original: Joel was afraid that the TV show or film adaptation would stray too far from the original, thus making it unrecognizable to fans of the game. He feared that the story would become an unrecognizable mish-mash of new and old elements.
Conclusion:
In the end, Joel’s worries appear to have been unfounded. The upcoming HBO adaptation appears to have been designed to be as faithful to the original game as possible, and will hopefully provide a respectful and honest representation of the beloved source material.
The video game franchise The Last of Us has recently confirmed a forthcoming television adaptation coming to HBO. This highly successful video game initially released in 2013, developed by Naughty Dog, and tells the story of survivors of a radical Cordyceps fungal infection that has decimated the world.
One of the primary characters of the game, Joel Miller, has been confirmed for the show – but his casting has caused controversy, especially among fans of the original game. Though actor Pedro Pascal was confirmed for the role, many passionate fans felt it would have been a more natural fit for the original voice actor of Joel, Troy Baker.
The original voice actor for Joel, Troy Baker, responded to the news of his replacement in a candid interview. He noted that, “I think [HBO] wanted to go in a different direction” and “that’s the prerogative of any storyteller…If people want to separate the way I portrayed Joel and the way someone else portrays Joel, I’m curious to see that.”
Despite other characters from the original video game being confirmed for the show such as Ashley Johnson reprising her role as Ellie, Baker’s response makes it clear that he was expecting to be recast.
Baker went on to say that he admires the actor who was chosen for his portrayal of Joel, and notes that “Pedro’s a wonderful dude…we’re living in a time now where it’s possible to be reverential to the source material while still being vast and broad enough to create something new and distinct.”
In the end, it’s clear that though Baker was surprised he was unceremoniously recast for the show, he remains a tender and understanding advocate for both the original game and the upcoming show adaption. Though fans may have different points of view on the matter, the original voice actor’s openness and willingness to respect HBO’s direction is important to remember.